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Serving Northern Kentucky

Spill Reporting

Spill Reporting Requirements

Any person or organization responsible for a release or spill is required to notify the federal and state government and the Local Emergency Planning Committee when the amount reaches a federally-determined limit. Separate reporting requirements exist for:

However, anyone who discovers a hazardous substance release or oil spill is encouraged to contact the NKEPC by calling 911.

Oil Spills

EPA has established requirements to report spills to navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. EPA has determined that discharges of oil in quantities that may be harmful to public health or the environment include those that:

Violate applicable water quality standards;

Cause a film or “sheen” upon, or discoloration of the surface of the water or adjoining shorelines; or

Cause a sludge or emulsion to be deposited beneath the surface of the water or upon adjoining shorelines.

The requirement for reporting oil spills stems from the Discharge of Oil Regulation, known as the “sheen rule.” Under this regulation, oil spill reporting does not depend on the specific amount of oil spilled, but on the presence of a visible sheen created by the spilled oil.

Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986, the federal government has designated several hundred substances as “extremely hazardous substances” based on their acute lethal toxicity. Under the law, releases of these extremely hazardous substances trigger reporting requirements to state and local authorities, as well as the federal authorities. The owner or operator of a facility that releases an extremely hazardous substance in an amount greater than its established RQ must follow requirements on how to report to the appropriate authorities National Response Center 1-800-424-8802, the Kentucky Emergency Response Commission (SERC) 1-800-255-2587 and the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)) 911 for the location where the incident occurs.